Overview
- FERC unanimously issued tailored show‑cause orders on Thursday, June 18, 2026, directing PJM, MISO, SPP, CAISO, ISO‑NE and NYISO to file 30‑day informational reports and 60‑day filings to justify or change how very large users connect to the interstate grid.
- The orders target facilities drawing more than 20 megawatts and require markets to explain how they will prevent transmission upgrade costs from being socialized onto ordinary electricity customers.
- FERC told operators to adopt faster, standardized pathways such as co‑location with generation, new tracks for flexible or curtailable loads with study timelines as short as about 60 days, and clearer rules for behind‑the‑meter generation.
- Texas’ ERCOT was not included because it lies outside FERC jurisdiction and the commission’s action increases the chance of legal and political challenges from state regulators worried about retail rate authority.
- This step follows a DOE directive from October 23, 2025, and could reshape where hyperscalers site data centers, who pays for grid upgrades, and how quickly new generation is built to meet rising AI demand.